Todays announcement from the series organisers confirmed that the opening round of the new Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup will feature just a single entry from the Aston Martin Racing stable.

UK based TF Sport had originally been looking to elevate themselves up the GT3 racing ladder to actively compete within the then GTC (GT3) class of the European Le Mans Series, however changes made post season by the governing ACO removed that option. Instead they created a series specific to the Pro-Am framework that would even permit GT3 cars to race in support of the 24Hours of Le Mans at the La Sarthe circuit in June in the Michelin promoted GT3 Le Mans Cup Series.

Already competing together in the International GT Open series, TF Sport drivers Salih Yoluc and Euan Hankey will again pair up for the GT3 LMC series opener at Imola (and indeed the full season) in their distinctively blue and yellow ES Motor liveried V12 Vantage GT3.

Competing against just ten other cars for this opening round we're sure that the team will feel quietly optimistic despite their being newer GT3 machinery in attendance in the form of the Ferrari 488 and McLaren 650s (amongst others).

Having suffered race ending damage at the GT Open curtain raiser in Estoril just a few weeks ago, a two day test at the Imola circuit by the team just last week will serve them in good stead to be on the pace from the drop of the first green flag lap.

First track action for the eleven cars will be the 60 minute Free Practice 1 on the morning of Friday 13th May followed by a further 60 minutes in FP2 later in the afternoon. Following a similar programme to that of the ELMS, qualifying shall take place on the morning of Saturday 14th with the start of the two hour starting at 17:00Hrs local.

The series shall then have a further four rounds racing in support of the ELMS plus the 55 minute race at La Sarthe at the 24Hour of Le Mans weekend in mid June.

The following weekend Yoluc, Hankey and the TF Sport team are then due to compete in the second round of the International GT Open series at Spa Francorchamps! Busy times ahead!!